Improvement in water-wheels



tnited mes @stent @time JAMES E. GILLESPIE AND HORATI B. WEAVER, OF HARTFORD, CON- NEGTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 101,255, dated .Ma/rch 29, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom yit may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES E. GILLnsriE and Ho- RATIO B. WEAVER, both of Hartford, in the count-y of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Water-Wheels; and we do declare that the following is a full and exact descriptioll thereof, refer nice being had to the accoriipanying drawings and to the. letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature ofour invention consists in constructingr a water-wheel in such a manner that, by certain appliances Vto the wheel, we are enabled to give a proper proportionate amount of power for the water used, let the amount of water be what it may.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use. our invention, we will proceed to describe lits construction and operation. l

The same letters refer tothe same the figures.

Figure 1 is an elevationmf the wheel, and

Figure 2 is a section.

Figure 3`is a plan ofthe wheel, and

Figure 4 is a plan of the annular gate.

A is thc ,shaft of the wheel, and has its bearings ou parts in all of the frame H.

B, the bucketsor vaines of the wheel, and

C is a rim at -the ends-oi' the buckets or vanes, to give them proper support, and to serve the further purpose of making ajoint where the wheel enters the side ofthe water-way F.

D is the body ofthe wheel to which the buckets or vanes B are permanently att-ached.

E is an annular gate that incloses the wheel, and is attached to it by means of thel small ears on projections marked 1, 2, 3, &c., and is prevented from turning on the shaft by the presence ofthe spline or feather a, yet at the same time it is free to move upon the shaft in the direction of its length.

G is a groove in the hub of the annular gate E, to which mayy be applied any suitable mechanism to move the gate upon the shaft A. A

By reference to the drawing it will be seen that the buckets or vanos B are on an exact circle, the radius of which is about three-fifths of the radius of the wheel, the center ofthe circle of the buckets or varies B being in an exact linefrom lthe ends of the buckets or vanes to the center of the'shaft.

The operation is as follows:

The water-way F being secured to the side of a flume or tore-bay, and secured to a suitable support, and the bearings of the shaft in position, then by any suitable means the annular gate is drawn upon the shaft and the water is free to flow out of the wheel, causing it to revolve in a direct-ion opposite to the issuing water, hut still in the direction -of the flow of the stream in the water-way. The wheel maybe placed near the top of the fiume or fore-bay, and` a draught tubeused, it' desired, or it may be placed att-he bottom ofthe fall, as circumstances shall require.

What we claim as our invention, and desire. to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A water-wheel havingau annular gate, such as is hereinbefore described, applied Yin such a manner as-to turn with the wheel, and at the same time be free to more. upon theshaft of' the wheel in the. direction of its length.

2. The conibinatiou of the water-wheel, the annular gate` E, and the. projections marked 1, 2, 3, 85o., the whole constructed substantially as described for 'the purpose set forth.

JAMES E. GILLESPIE.

HORATIO B. WEAVER.

Witnesses EMERY Gnovnn,

- Asa WELLINGTON. 

